Man Handling
by punkfunkdisco
Summary: Marian has three men to keep happy on her February 14th. Set in some AU where Marian still lives at Knighton Hall, but Allan lives in the castle. Allan/Marian, Guy/Marian, Robin/Marian. Beta-read by LiveJournal user precious rosie.


Marian thought back to a time when she was untroubled by male attention. Her friendship with Robin had been interrupted by his decision to follow his King to the Holy Land, leaving her stranded at home, alone. There had been no other men, especially after her father had been stripped of his position and Sheriff Vasey had begun his reign of terror. Marian's priorities had quickly changed.

Now Marian found her romantic situation rather more complicated than she could ever have expected. Her mother had died when Marian was in her early teens and she had previously spent these anniversaries with her father remembering his wife. This year, however, there were now three other men who were all competing for her attention.

Allan was the only one of these men that was aware of the complex situation. Robin knew of Gisborne's intentions towards Marian - but not of Marian's embryonic feelings for Guy - and Gisborne, conversely, was blissfully ignorant of both Robin _and_ Allan. However, this did not mean that any of them were any the less demanding, much to Marian's frustration. Receiving invitations for her company from each of them on the fourteenth of February would require some careful and strategic planning on Marian's part.

She agreed to spend the day with Robin and also accepted an evening invitation to dinner at Locksley Manor from Guy. She decided that she would explain to Robin why it was in their best interests that she attends the dinner and hoped that he would not make a fuss. Robin was exasperating when he made a fuss and Marian found it arduous to say the least.

Meanwhile, Allan would visit her at Knighton Hall, like he very often did, after the sun had dipped below the horizon and the rest of the world were content in their dreaming. A smile formed on Marian's lips as she thought of her easily pleased trickster, of his head nestling in her lap as they lay, replete and exhausted from their love-making. Allan's demands were few and uncomplicated and he understood, albeit reluctantly and grumpily, when she was required to place the other two, less aware, men's needs before his.

*

Robin arrived at Knighton Hall just before daybreak, scouting around conscientiously for any spies that might be watching the house. Satisfied that there were none, he carefully opened the shutters of her window, familiar since childhood with the noise they could make if handled incorrectly. The outlaw sat in Marian's window, watching her slow breaths as she slept, and patiently waited for her to wake.

The two old lovers spent the day in the forest, with Robin teaching Marian some of his new bow and arrow tricks, after which the couple practised their sword skills. It was good-natured and fun until Marian protested loudly and indignantly when it became obvious that Robin was letting her win.

The day was unusually warm for late winter. The sun broke through the leaves of the trees and Marian stopped in a shard of light to take pleasure in the warmth on her face before the pair walked arm-in-arm through the trees, back to the gang's deserted camp. Marian could see that Much had prepared a special lunch, which was all set up neatly on the kitchen table, and squirmed at the thought of eating squirrel.

_Please, please let Allan be joking!_ She thought to herself as they perched precariously on the wooden seats that Will had erected.

Robin was clearly proud of his gang of noble and devoted outlaws and the effort they had all made so that he and Marian could be alone. He was also proud of his Marian and the fact that she had grown into such a beautiful, passionate and intelligent lady in the years that he had spent away. In the Holy Land, he had often worried that she would be swept away by a handsome, if unworthy, noble and married before he could get his chance. These thoughts ran through his mind as he sat staring at her with a contented smile on his face, while Marian picked her way through the dubious meat and hesitated to broach the subject of Gisborne's dinner invitation.

"I must dine with Sir Guy tonight." She eventually announced, not looking up from the meal in front of her but making sure her tone was firm.

_There! She had said it._

"_What_?" The smile fell rapidly from Robin's face and was replaced with a look of disgust.

"He has invited me to Locksley to have to dinner with him this evening and I must attend." Marian tried to keep her voice calm. Robin mimicked her choice of words with obvious contempt.

"You _must_ attend? _Why_? What will he do if you refuse his generous offer?"

Marian considered the outlaw's constant use of sarcasm when it came to Gisborne tiring and predictable and she sighed when confronted with that familiar tone.

"He will not _do_ anything, Robin, I will go because I can then find out what will be done with the Sheriff's prisoners from Clun."

"I already have a plan for them!" Robin protested.

"What? Sneaking into the castle and freeing them undetected and unchallenged?" Her voice was still calm, but with a hint of derision, and she looked the outlaw straight in the eye as he babbled his reply.

"No! Well, yes! Will has a way!"

Ignoring him, Marian stood up and shot Robin a withering look. "I do not need your permission; I am going to Sir Guy's. Good bye, Robin."

*

Locksley Manor was decorated with a great mass of candles, more than was usual for Sir Guy. The brightness was overwhelming to her and Marian took a deep breath before walking up to the door.

"Evenin', Lady Marian." A guard welcomed her in and went to announce her to Sir Guy, who was still upstairs pacing the floor in his bedchamber, nervously anticipating her arrival. While she waited, Marian fiddled nervously with the clasp in her hair and smoothed down the material of her dress.

"Marian," Guy walked confidently down the stairs with a small smile on his face, hiding any fears he may have harboured that she would not turn up, "I'm glad you came."

Marian smiled back. "It was kind of you to invite me, Sir Guy."

He led her into the dining hall where the huge table was decorated with flowers that had bloomed early after the wet winter and candles that stood at the same height as Marian. A goose, with its feathers sewn back on after cooking, sat proudly in the middle of the table. Marian frowned; the table setting looked far too lavish for just the two of them. It had been set out as if it were for an expensive banquet.

The heat of the fire was tempting and Marian walked over to the fireplace, spreading her hands in front of the flames. As the warmth enveloped Marian a feeling of safety crept through her body like a trickling stream. Guy followed his guest to the fireplace but stopped just behind her. The comfortable warmth in Marian intensified to a prickly heat at the back of her neck as she felt his commanding presence behind her.

They sat down to eat and Marian remarked how the amount of food on the table would feed a whole family in Locksley village for a week. Guy responded by telling her that if he fed one family he would have to feed them all, but if it would make her happy then the leftovers would be given to his servants.

When the two diners had finished their meals, Marian decided to raise the issue that she had told herself was the purpose of sharing Guy's company this evening. Her slight hesitation was a flicker of doubt at this reasoning, which she ignored with determination. She felt the direct approach would be best.

"I have been to visit the Sheriff's prisoners from Clun." Marian stared accusingly at Guy. "They tell me they are innocent."

Guy let out an amused grunt. "All guilty men profess their innocence, Marian. Do you even understand their crime?" Smirking darkly, he leaned back in his chair.

Marian noted his patronising tone but held back her anger and kept her voice even. "If they are innocent then they have committed no crime, surely?"

"These men would not be held prisoner if they had not committed a crime."

It was Marian's turn to be amused, but she knew better than to express her true feelings concerning the Sheriff. "What are they being accused of?"

Guy sat up in his chair and leaned forward dramatically. "Conspiracy to commit treason." He announced this crime triumphantly, knowing Marian's loyalty to the King. "They were found gathering in a house, conspiring against Prince John."

This was meant to shock her, but Marian was not yet beaten. "And what evidence is there of treason, Sir Guy?"

"We had spies infiltrate their group," Guy stood up in an attempt to emphasise the importance of his information. He walked over to Marian and sat, resting his backside on the table next to her seat. His closeness both thrilled and unsettled her as he continued to explain.

"They tell us these men have opinions on taxes that contradict our own." Marian waited for something more, but Guy continued to stare victoriously at her and that appeared to be the full extent of the prisoners' crime.

She waited for a few seconds, which Guy mistook for shock, and then replied:

"I hardly think voicing a contradictory opinion amounts to committing a crime, Sir Guy. I can only assume that the Sheriff will be letting the men go tomorrow." Marian knew full well the Sheriff would not be freeing the prisoners any time soon but she also knew how to manipulate Guy into telling her information that he should not.

Guy stood up again and walked slowly away from the table. Marian was beautiful, intelligent and challenging, but she could also be very frustrating. Although Guy did not agree with the Sheriff's rather misogynistic view that all women were lepers, he could sometimes sympathise with the opinion.

"If by letting them go you mean hanging them, then yes, he will be letting them go." Guy turned around and gave Marian a sly smile, which he quickly retracted when he saw the expression on her face.

She thought about enquiring further to gain more details, such as the time of the hangings, but resisted the temptation to make Guy even more suspicious. Marian knew that he often turned a blind eye, either that or he was a bit slow, but did not want to cause any doubts tonight.

Unable to admit to herself that she had had a pleasant time in his company, Marian turned her thoughts to an excuse for leaving.

"Those men have done nothing wrong, Sir Guy. We are both well aware of that." She spoke rapidly so that Guy could not interrupt. "You should talk to the Sheriff about reducing their punishment before inviting me to dinner again."

It was clear that he was hurt by this demand of hers and made no effort to hide his feelings. Marian ignored his furrowed brow and rose from her chair. "It is getting dark; my father will be worried about me. Thank you for dinner, Sir Guy, but I must get back to Knighton before nightfall."

But for _what_, she could not reveal to him -

*

He had appeared in the window frame like the Saviour. She saw him from her bed and the sultry smile began in the soles of her feet and travelled like a lightning bolt up to her hips, where it slowed down and tingled up her spine before appearing on her lips as excitement and seduction.

Marian had been waiting all day for this moment. She was a patient woman, especially on matters concerning Allan, but tonight his teasing was testing her restraint.

"Bloody hell, I need a sit down!" He announced as he jumped through the window and collapsed onto Marian's big wooden chest that held some of her clothes. "Do you realise how far it is from Nottingham?" His long, tapered fingers drummed out a tune on the thick wood. "'ere, remember when Djaq hid in this? Shall I try it?"

"_No_, Allan!" Marian moaned with annoyance. "I've had a long day and I am not in the mood for childish games." Her pout forced him to suppress his laughter.

He studied her face and body language and tried to work out how long he could keep tantalising her. Her tensely held hands and serious eyes told him that his time was just about up.

"Ah, but I could turn it into a new trick – people'd pay money to see me fit in a box." He remarked cheerfully, and promptly ducked as the hair clasp came flying through the air towards him. As it sailed out of the window, Allan thanked his lucky stars that it was not her dagger clasp. This time, however, his laugh could not be held back and came rolling out of his throat like bubbling water.

Marian sighed and gave Allan a look that was laden with both disapproval and attraction. She could only disapprove of his antics because she cared for something else from him.

Allan relented and walked over to the bed to collapse down beside her. "Is it all right if you do all the work?" He grinned at her. She laughed too now, relaxing at his closeness, and leaned over to kiss him. After spending the day with Robin and then Guy, kissing Allan felt like standing in the summer sunlight in front of a tall and burning hot bonfire. The heat was overpowering, enticing and insistent.

His kiss was not heavy with any desperate measures for salvation and she was not expected to right the wrongdoings of his past. When he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her down onto the bed, his touch was free from history and expectations held since childhood. The connection was as simple as her body entwining with his.

Upon feeling the urgency in Marian's kiss, Allan received renewed energy and his desire for her was reignited. Just looking at her was special because she was beautiful; on top of which, she was insatiable for him and that was all Allan needed. She may well put other men before him when she had to, but when she could, Allan _knew_ that Marian gave herself up completely to _him_.


End file.
